Salford Business School

Salford Business School, located on the Peel Park Campus of the University of Salford, around 3 km west of Manchester city centre, is one of the university's four main schools. Established in 2006 through the merger of four academic units — the School of Management, the School of Accounting, Economics and Management Science, the School of Leisure, Hospitality and Food Management, and the Information Systems Institute — it carries forward a tradition of higher education that began in 1896 with the formation of the Salford Technical Institute.

The School offers a comprehensive range of business education, including pre-master’s programmes, undergraduate honours degrees, postgraduate taught courses, and research degrees up to PhD level. Undergraduate courses span disciplines such as Business and Management Studies, Finance and Accounting, Business Information Technology, and Leisure, Hospitality and Tourism Studies. Most of these include an optional placement year to enhance practical learning.

Postgraduate programmes offer qualifications in areas such as International Business, Marketing, Tourism Management, Human Resource Management, and Information Systems. Students can opt for a Business Innovation Project, which may include a work placement, internship, live project, or dissertation. Since 2009, the Salford MBA has been accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA), with a consultancy project integrated into the programme and lectures delivered at MediaCityUK.

Salford Business School places equal importance on teaching, research, and enterprise, with research activity organised through several centres including those for operations management, marketing, information systems, and organisational behaviour.

The School collaborates with businesses ranging from SMEs to large multinationals, fostering industry partnerships and supporting innovation. It also encourages student engagement through initiatives such as the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) group.

Salford Business School was formally established in 2006 through the merger of four academic units at the University of Salford. These included the School of Management, School of Accounting, Economics and Management Science, School of Leisure, Hospitality and Food Management, and the Information Systems Institute. The merger aimed to consolidate business-focused education and research under one academic entity within the University.

Although the business school was formed in the early 21st century, its institutional roots lie in the University of Salford’s long-standing tradition of higher education. The University of Salford itself was granted a Royal Charter in 1967. Prior to that, the university's origin can be traced back to 1896 when two Working Men’s Institutes merged to form the Salford Technical Institute. This institute was part of a broader movement in the United Kingdom to provide technical and vocational education during the industrial era.

Since its formation, Salford Business School has focused on integrating teaching, research, and academic enterprise. The School offers business management education, professional services to the business sector, and supports business-focused research. These activities are carried out at the Maxwell Building located on the Peel Park Campus, approximately 3 km west of Manchester city centre. It is one of the four constituent schools of the University of Salford.

The School has developed a diverse academic offering, covering undergraduate, postgraduate taught, and postgraduate research degrees, including doctoral programmes. It has also introduced pre-master’s courses and part-time options for professionals. Salford Business School provides honours degrees in areas such as Business and Management Studies, Finance and Accounting, Business Information Technology, and Leisure, Hospitality and Tourism Studies. All undergraduate courses offer an optional placement year to provide work-based learning.

At the postgraduate level, the School offers master’s programmes with intermediate awards such as Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas. These cover fields like International Business, Information Systems, Tourism Management, Human Resource Management, and Marketing. Since September 2012, postgraduate students have had the option to engage in a Business Innovation Project. This may include a six-month work placement, an assessed internship, a live project, or a traditional dissertation of up to 15,000 words.

A significant development came in September 2009 when the Salford MBA gained accreditation from the Association of MBAs (AMBA). The MBA programme incorporates a consultancy project with an external organisation and is delivered at MediaCityUK, a key hub for digital and media industries.

The School places a strong emphasis on academic research and has established several dedicated centres. These include the Centre for Operations Management, Management Science and Statistics (COMMSS), the Enterprise and Innovation Research Centre, the Information Systems, Organisations and Society Research Centre (ISOS), the Marketing and Strategy Research Centre, and the Organisational Behaviour and Leadership Research Centre.

Salford Business School also maintains links with student groups, such as the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) group. This group collaborates with the School on activities including business games and events for local schools and colleges.

Salford Business School offers a wide range of academic programmes at undergraduate, postgraduate, and research levels, with options for full-time, part-time, and placement-based learning. At the undergraduate level, the School provides 18 full-time honours degrees in subjects such as Business and Management Studies, Finance and Accounting, Business Information Technology, and Leisure, Hospitality and Tourism Studies. All undergraduate programmes are designed to be completed in three years, with the option to undertake a placement year between the second and final academic years to gain practical work experience.

Additionally, the School offers a one-year full-time honours degree aimed at students who have already completed studies equivalent to a Diploma of Higher Education. A full-time Graduate Certificate programme is also available for students who do not yet meet the academic or language requirements for direct entry into master’s programmes. Two part-time options, a Certificate of Higher Education and a Graduate Certificate — are intended for individuals with relevant work experience but no formal higher education qualifications.

Postgraduate programmes at Salford Business School include various specialisms such as International Business, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Tourism Management, and Information Systems. Master’s programmes are typically one year in duration, with an option for a professional placement year. These programmes offer intermediate awards such as Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) and Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip).

Since 2012, students enrolled in postgraduate courses have been able to choose a Business Innovation Project, which can be structured in one of four formats: a six-month work placement, an assessed internship lasting one to three months, a live project completed as part of a team, or a traditional dissertation of 12,000 to 15,000 words.

The Salford MBA, accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA) since 2009, includes a consultancy project with an external organisation and is delivered at the MediaCityUK campus.

Salford Business School has received recognition across various national rankings in the United Kingdom. In the Complete University Guide 2024, the school is ranked 88th for Business and Management Studies. According to the Guardian University Guide 2024, Salford Business School holds the 78th position in the UK for Business, Management and Marketing. 

In terms of postgraduate education, the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) has previously shown strong student satisfaction in areas such as teaching quality and course content.  The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 rated 78% of the University of Salford’s research as “world-leading” or “internationally excellent”.

Salford Business School, part of the University of Salford, demonstrates a commendable commitment to graduate employability. According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Graduate Outcomes Survey for the 2020/21 cohort, 89% of University of Salford graduates were in employment or further study six months after graduation . 

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